Wrecking bar for use with a backhoe

ABSTRACT

A wrecking bar attachable to the free end of the dipstick of a backhoe after the conventional earthmoving bucket has been removed therefrom. The bar is of dogleg-shaped configuration having attaching and wrecking end portions of metal box beam construction. The wrecking end portion of the bar carries a dependent wrecking blade and an upstanding hook, whereas the attaching end portion is fitted to permit pivotal attachment to the dipstick of a backhoe.

United States Patent Inventors Donald C. Schreiber;

George R. Schreiber, Jru, both ol Eden, N.Y.

Appl. No. 59,535

Filed July 30, 1970 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 Assignee Schreiber and Winkelman, lnc.

Eden, N.Y.

WRECKING BAR FOR USE WITH A BACKHOE 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 254/124, 254/131 Int. Cl... 1366i 3/00 Field of Search 94/39, 49;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,091,159 5/1963 Miller....; 94/49 3,525,503 8/1970 Hebert 254/124 Primary Examiner-Othell W. Simpson Altorney- Bean & Bean ABSTRACT: A wrecking bar attachable to the free end of the dipstick of a backhoe after the conventional earthmoving bucket has been removed therefrom. The bar is of doglegshaped configuration having attaching and wrecking end portions of metal box beam construction.

The wrecking end portion of the bar carries a dependent wrecking blade and an upstanding hook, whereas the attaching end portion is fitted to permit pivotal attachment to the dipstick ofa backhoe.

WRECKING BAR FOR USE WITH A BACKIIOE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, a swinging steel ball manipulated by a derrick is employed for wrecking or demolishing large buildings. However, when a small two or three story house is to be wrecked, it is often uneconomical to employ conventional wrecking apparatus with the result that relatively inaccessible portions of the house, such as the roof or upper story of the house is torn down by hand. Afterward, the first story of the house is often demolished by manipulation of the bucket con ventionally provided on the hydraulically operated backhoe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves the provision of a detachably mounted wrecking bar in combination with the backhoe, which permits the backhoe to wreck heretofore relatively inaccessible portions of the house. The wrecking bar is of metal box beam construction and is bent intermediate the wrecking end and attaching ends thereof to permit the bar to clear the edge of the house roof. The wrecking end of the beam carries a dependent wrecking blade and an upstanding hook or lifting bar, which may be employed to lift articles through a window or hole in the roof of the house being destroyed.

THE DRAWING FIG. l is a side elevational view illustrating the wrecking bar of the present invention attached to a conventional backhoe;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wrecking bar;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the attaching end'portion of the wrecking bar partially in section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the attaching end portion of the wrecking bar and associated dipstick mounting; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing a modified form of the wrecking end portion of the wrecking bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Now referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the wrecking bar of the present invention, which is generally designated as 10, is shown as being mounted on a conventional backhoe 12 for the purpose of facilitating the wrecking of the roof and/or upper stories ofa plural story dwelling or other building 14.

Backhoe I2 is shown for purposes of illustration as including a mast 16, which is secured to the backhoe for vertical pivotable movement under the control of cylinders 18. A dip stick 20 is pivotably connected adjacent the free end of mast 16, as at 22, for vertical pivotable movement under the control of cylinder 24. Conventionally, an earthmoving bucket, not shown, is pivotably supported adjacent the free end of dipstick 20 for pivotable movement downwardly towards the backhoe under the control of dipstick-mounted cylinder 26,

' which has a ram 28 connected to the bucket through linkages 30 and 32.

In accordance with the present invention, wrecking bar 10, which is of welded metal box beam construction, is of generally dogleg-shaped configuration and includes an elongated wrecking end portion 34 and an elongated attaching end portion 36. End portions 34, 36 are braced relative to one another by dependent metal flanges 38. Bar may be readily manipulated for purposes of transportation and/or installation by passing a hoisting cable through bar-mounted eye 40.

End portion 34 is provided adjacent its free end with a dependent wrecking blade 42 and an upstanding hook or lifting bar 44, which are preferably weld affixed to such end portion. Blade 42 is preferably formed with a curved inner surface 46.

One arrangement suitable for use in removably connecting bar 10 to backhoe dipstick is best shown in FIGS. 3-5. In this arrangement, the free end of attaching end portion 36 is provided with an upper plate member 50 to which are weld affixed a pair of upstanding parallel plates 52. Plates 52 are best shown in FIG. 5 as being fonned witlh slot openings 54 and undercut lip portions 56 arranged in rear and forward end edges thereof, respectively.

Slot openings 54 are adapted to removably receive bucketmounting pivot pin 60, which is carried by the free end of dipstick 20. Also supported for pivotable movement on pivot pin 60 is a fitting 64 having a pair of parallel sideplates 66 and at least one cross or tie bar 68. Sideplates 66 are best shown in FIGS. 3-5 as having apertures 70 arranged adjacent their rear ends to receive pivot pin 62; apertures 72 arranged intermediate their ends to receive a pivot pin 74 for connecting link 30 to fitting 64; and slot openings 76 arranged adjacent their forward ends to receive the legs of a locking bar 78. Crossbar 68 is provided with an opening 80, which is threaded to receive threaded bolt 82, which is received within locking bar opening 84.

When the illustrated mounting arrangement is employed, bar I0 is mounted on dipstick 20 by first positioning fitting 64 intermediate side members 52 with the ends of pivot pin 60 arranged within slot openings 54. Thereafter locking bar 78 is positioned within slot openings 76 with the ends thereof arranged in underlying engagement with lip portions 56 and bolt 82 treaded through crossbar opening M to lock bar 78 in position. In use, wrecking bar I0 is pivoted relative to dipstick 20 about the axis of pivot pin 60 upon extension and contraction of ram 28.

It will be understood by referring to FIG. I that the wrecking bar construction thus far described permits a backhoe to be employed in the wrecking of the upper floors of dwellings or other two or three story buildings heretofore ground accessible only by a derrick-manipulated wrecking ball. In this respect, the maximum operating heights achievable with blade 42 or with a conventional backhoe bucket, when used for wrecking purposes, is obtained when backhoe cylinders 24 and 26 are full-contracted and backhoe cylinders 18 are fully extended. The maximum operating height of blade 42 is, however, substantially greater than that of a conventional bucket, due to the fact that the blade is mounted on the remote free-swinging end of the wrecking bar.

Moreover, the dogleg-shaped configuration of the wrecking bar permits blade 42 to reach over the edges of roofs or other obstructions, when operated near its maximum operating height. Also, the dogleg-shaped configuration of the wrecking bar facilitates entry of its free end through windows or other openings in the dwelling in order to permit removal of interior fixtures suspended from hook 44.

It will be understood that the wrecking-bar construction of the present invention also greatly facilitates wrecking of portions of a dwelling accessible by a backhoe bucket, since blade 42 may be swinging or displaced horizontally to a greater extent than such bucket when using only cylinders 24 and 26.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in FIG. 6, may be employed to provide a wrecking bar of even greater versatility. In this embodiment, wrecking end portion 34 if formed of telescopic construction, wherein extension 340 is preferably operated by an extensible cylinder remotely controlled from the cab of the backhoe. Alternatively, extension 34a may be manually adjusted by means of bolt connectors received within apertures 92.

Various modifications of the wrecking bar will likely occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Among such modifications, would be for example, to bolt attach or otherwise affix the wrecking bar to the backhoe.

We claim:

l. A wrecking bar for use with a backhoe or the like from which a material-moving bucket has been disconnected, said backhoe having a dipstick, and actuating cylinder and ram connected to an actuating linkage, said wrecking bar comprising:

an elongated wrecking end portion;

an elongated attaching end portion, said end portions being joined to form a wrecking bar of dogleg-shaped configuration;

a wrecking blade depending from a free end of said taching means includes a pair of substantially parallel plates upstanding from said free end of said attaching end portion, said plates having adjacent opposite ends thereof aligned slot openings and aligned attaching portions; a pivot pin carried by said free end of said dipstick, said pivot pin having opposite ends thereof removably received for rotation within said slot openings; and means removably connecting said actuating linkage to said aligned attaching portions, whereby operation of said actuating linkage effects pivotable movement of said bar about said pivot pin.

5. A wrecking bar according to claim 4, wherein said wrecking end portion has a lifting hook upstanding from said free end thereof. 

1. A wrecking bar for use with a backhoe or the like from which a material-moving bucket has been disconnected, said backhoe having a dipstick, and actuating cylinder and ram connected to an actuating linkage, said wrecking bar comprising: an elongated wrecking end portion; an elongated attaching end portion, said end portions being joined to form a wrecking bar of dogleg-shaped configuration; a wrecking blade depending from a free end of said wrecking end portion; and means to attach a free end of said attaching end portion to a free end of said dipstick and said actuating linkage, whereby said bar is mounted for pivotable movement relative to said dipstick.
 2. A wrecking bar according to claim 1, wherein said wrecking end portion has a lifting hook upstanding from said free end thereof.
 3. A wrecking bar according to claim 1, wherein said wrecking end portion is of two-piece telescopic construction.
 4. A wrecking bar according to claim 1, wherein said attaching means includes a pair of substantially parallel plates upstanding from said free end of said attaching end portion, said plates having adjacent opposite ends thereof aligned slot openings and aligned attaching portions; a pivot pin carried by said free end of said dipstick, said pivot pin having opposite ends thereof removably received for rotation within said slot openings; and means removably connecting said actuating linkage to said aligned attaching portions, whereby operation of said actuating linkage effects pivotable movement of said bar about said pivot pin.
 5. A wrecking bar according to claim 4, wherein said wrecking end portion has a lifting hook upstanding from said free end thereof. 